Itinerary
- Day 1
Antananarivo
You'll arrive in Antananarivo, Madagascar's capital spread across 12 hills with a blend of French colonial buildings and modern structures. Your tour leader meets you at 6pm for a welcome briefing. The rest of the day is yours to explore the city or settle in after your travels.
Optional Activities
- Welcome dinner with tour leader (if desired)
Landmarks/POIs Antananarivo - Day 2
Antananarivo to Ambositra
Starting around 8am, you'll head south by charter bus through the subtropical highlands. The route takes you through Antsirabe for lunch, where you'll pass terraced rice paddies and typical highland villages. Stop in Ambositra to pick up provisions and walk through the wood carving shops. Later, dinner and a folk dance performance happen at a local development guest house.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch in Antsirabe), Dinner (Traditional Malagasy meal at local development guest house)
Included Activities
- Drive through subtropical highlands and volcanic fields
- Stop at local market and wood carving shops in Ambositra
- Traditional Malagasy meal and folk dance at local development guest house
Landmarks/POIs Ambositra Antsirabe - Day 3
Ambositra to Ranomafana
The charter bus takes 4 hours heading south to Ranomafana National Park. After a picnic lunch, you'll trek into the primary rainforest from the park entrance toward the campsite. Watch for lemurs including the rare golden bamboo lemur. The terrain is hilly with unmade forest trails.
- Meals
- Lunch (Picnic lunch at park entrance)
Included Activities
- Trek to Ranomafana campsite in primary rainforest
- Wildlife observation including lemurs
Landmarks/POIs Ranomafana National Park - Day 4
Ranomafana
You'll spend the full day in Ranomafana National Park starting with morning forest walks looking for black-and-white ruffed lemurs. Trek along the Varijatsy Trek Circuit down to the village of Ranomafana on the Namorona River, ending at the thermal baths and swimming pool (the name Ranomafana means 'hot water' locally).
Included Activities
- Morning wildlife walk in primary forest
- Varijatsy Trek Circuit hike
- Visit to thermal baths and swimming pool
Landmarks/POIs Ranomafana National Park Varijatsy Trek Circuit Namorona River - Day 5
Ranomafana to Ambalavao
Travel to Ambalavao through Fianarantsoa, the ancient royal city. Ambalavao has brightly colored houses with steep tiled roofs and wooden balconies in the Old Town, and it hosts Madagascar's largest cattle market. After lunch, you have the option to visit nearby Anja Reserve to see ring-tailed lemurs.
Included Activities
- Drive through Fianarantsoa
- Visit to Anja Reserve to see ring-tailed lemurs
Optional Activities
- Lunch in Ambalavao
Landmarks/POIs Fianarantsoa Anja Reserve Ambalavao - Day 6
Ambalavao to Andringitra National Park
After breakfast, a 4WD vehicle takes you to Andringitra National Park for a 3-day stay. You'll trek with porters east through small villages to the first forest campsite, stopping for a picnic lunch. Expect granite outcrops, high mountains, and deep valleys. That evening, a nocturnal nature walk lets you spot local wildlife.
- Meals
- Lunch (Picnic lunch at forest campsite)
Included Activities
- 4WD transfer to Andringitra National Park
- Trek through villages to forest campsite
- Nocturnal nature walk
Landmarks/POIs Andringitra National Park - Day 7
Andringitra National Park
Start early with morning wildlife walks for birds and lemurs, then trek uphill through Imaitso forest toward Andriampotsy, the park's highest campsite. You'll cross a meadow plateau at the foot of the main Andringitra granite outcrop and stream crossings along the way. This campsite is your base for tomorrow's climb.
- Meals
- Lunch (Picnic lunch on the way up)
Included Activities
- Early morning wildlife walk
- Trek through Imaitso forest to Andriampotsy campsite
Landmarks/POIs Imaitso Forest Pic Imarivolanitra - Day 8
Andringitra National Park
You'll climb to Imarivolanitra's summit at 2,658m/8,721 ft, the highest point in southern Madagascar. The well-managed path steadily ascends between granite boulders. From the top you'll see views across the park, then descend via last night's campsite to a lower basic campsite.
Included Activities
- Summit climb to Imarivolanitra peak
- Descent to lower campsite
Landmarks/POIs Imarivolanitra - Day 9
Andringitra National Park to Isalo National Park
Walk to the park entrance then head back by 4WD to Ambalavao. From there, the charter bus takes you southwest to Isalo National Park. You'll stay at Isalo Ranch Hotel on the edge of the sandstone massif where dry forest holds sifaka, ring-tailed lemurs, and brown lemurs. The hotel has traditional thatched bungalows, restaurant, bar, and swimming pool.
Included Activities
- Walk to park entrance
- 4WD transfer to Ambalavao
- Charter bus to Isalo National Park
Landmarks/POIs Isalo National Park - Day 10
Isalo National Park
You'll check out Isalo's landscape of sandstone eroded into deep gullies starting with a morning wildlife trail. Trek with porters through the sandstone massif to natural swimming pools and back to the hotel. This area is hotter and drier with aloes and dwarf baobabs. Lemur groups tend to be shy here.
Included Activities
- Morning wildlife trail
- Walk through sandstone massif to natural swimming pools
Landmarks/POIs Isalo National Park - Day 11
Isalo National Park to Ifaty
Drive west to Toliara with a stop at Zombitse National Park to explore dry deciduous forest. Look for lemurs, the rare endemic fossa, birds, reptiles, and baobab trees. Continue from Toliara to Ifaty Beach, a small west coast resort with a huge sandy bay overlooking a lagoon protected by a barrier reef. You'll stay here 2 nights.
Included Activities
- Stop at Zombitse National Park to explore dry deciduous forest
- Wildlife observation including lemurs and baobabs
Landmarks/POIs Zombitse National Park Toliara Ifaty Beach - Day 12
Ifaty
This day is free to relax or explore. Ifaty has a huge sandy bay with traditional fishing villages along the shore and outrigger canoes. Walk through Reniala Reserve just inland from the beach to see the spiny forest and endemic bird species.
Optional Activities
- Optional walk in Reniala Reserve - 2 kilometre (1.20 mile) walk expected to take around 2 hours, featuring strange spiny forest and endemic bird species including long-tailed ground roller, sub-desert mesite, and sickle-billed vanga
Landmarks/POIs Ifaty Beach Reniala Reserve - Day 13
Ifaty to Antananarivo
Depending on domestic flight schedules, you'll either start very early or have a relaxed morning in Ifaty before heading to Toliara airport. The flight back to Antananarivo varies by schedule, and you'll transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free.
Included Activities
- Domestic flight from Toliara to Antananarivo
Landmarks/POIs Antananarivo - Day 14
Antananarivo
Take a bus to Ambohidrabiby Hill on Antananarivo's outskirts for a gentle walk to the summit of this sacred hill. The route passes through highland villages and rice paddies where you'll learn about local silk weaving before returning to the city.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Bus transfer to Ambohidrabiby Hill
- Gentle walk to hilltop
- Pass through highland villages and rice paddies
- Learn about local silk weaving
Landmarks/POIs Ambohidrabiby Hill - Day 15
Antananarivo
The tour ends after breakfast at your hotel. You're free to depart whenever you'd like, and luggage storage is available if your flight leaves later.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks/POIs Antananarivo
